A meta-analytic study of the effects of childbirth education research from 1960 to 1981

Abstract

As childbirth classes have become popular, investigators have increased their interest in studying the value of prenatal childbirth education. Concomitantly, two problems have emerged. First, outcome variables as diverse as change in self concept, locus of control, length of labor, medication level during labor, length of time breastfeeding, adjustment to parenthood, and marital satisfaction have been examined. Second, many disciplines, such as education, psychology, sociology, nursing, and medicine have conducted childbirth education research. This has resulted in studies being dispersed within numerous journals, research reports, and doctoral dissertations across all of these disciplines. Consequently, hundreds of findings representing a multiplicity of disciplines and variables are widely scattered. The purpose of this study was to determine the state of knowledge about the effects of childbirth education. Using meta-analysis techniques, childbirth education research literature from 1960 to 1981 was analyzed for the purpose of identifying variables which have been studied, integrating the findings of this research, and constructing a paradigm for future research.Characteristics of the studies that possibly had a relationship with the outcome of childbirth education such as date of publication, discipline of investigator, location of study, type of childbirth classes, and allegiance of the investigator to childbirth education were coded for each study. Data were analyzed by treating the calculated effect sizes as the dependent variable and the characteristics of the studies as the independent variables. The results of this inquiry show that childbirth education is beneficial. Generalizations about the effects of childbirth education were derived from the synthesis of the childbirth education studies.Recommendations for future childbirth education research, relating to the philosophical foundation of research, the foci of study, and methodologic considerations, were made. Moreover, recommendations for future quantitative research integrations were identified.